freezing wort

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jamest22

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What would be the risks or complications associated with freezing wort with the intent of using it for future brewing? I am thinking in terms of weeks.

I have a 12 gallon mash tun but the rest of my setup (pots & fermenters) is for 5 gallons. I have been thinking that since I am spending 6+ hours all grain brewing, why not be making as much wort as possible?

What would be the problem with making as much wort as my tun will hold and then freezing the amount in excess of 5 gallons for a brew a week later?
 
Probably the hardest thing would be to get the wort to actually freeze. It takes at least 2 days for my freezer to freeze a gallon of water solid all the way through. So, if you just collect the wort out of the mash tun and then try to freeze it, I would expect all those nice lactic acid bacteria from the grains would have loads of time to turn your wort sour.
 
good point. how about giving it a dose of campden before putting it in the freezer?
You could go ahead and brew your 5 gallon batch, then heat the rest of the wort to boiling for a few min., then freeze it, but the best way to go is BIGGER, more fermenters, and a bigger kettle.:D. Good luck whatever you try.:mug:
 
I freeze wort for making starters later, doesn't take too long in my freezer. Always has worked fine but I don't usually drink the starter.
 
I would just get a bigger boil kettle and more fermenters. Do you have the space in your freezer to start freezing gallons of wort?? and then you have to thaw it, boil it? and then chill and ferment it. Find someone with a pub or go online and find a Sankey keg, convert it to a boil kettle and your problems are solved (for the most part).
 
+1 to a bigger brew kettle.

Freezing wort i think would be asking for problems.
1st rocketman had a very good point about taking awhile for it to completly freeze. Even if you put it into gal jugs and froze it...It would be a nightmare time you unthawed and not risk infection.

2nd I am not completely sure on how it would effect the beer.
With ICE beer, They freeze it..Skim off the ice and it boost's the % up....
I have a feeling it would seperate....Combineing it back to its orginal state might offset the beer.

3rd if you get a bigger kettle, say 10 gal size... You will have more beer to drink and not worry about running out as fast...

As for the carboys...You can NEVER have to many. I have 5 carboys and wish i had 5 more....Just longer you can secondary if you wish and more beer you can hold if you are limited on kegs or bottles

Just my .02cents worth
 
Well heres my philosophy Just do it and ask questions later, been working out for me, if freezing the whole Five gallons at once is an issue, use 1 gal milk jugs....Good Luck
 
pith said:
do you mean 2 cents? 0.02 cents is an extremely small amount of money.



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